1) The document discusses development initiatives in South East Europe funded by the Operational Programme SEE 2007-2013, which aims to improve territorial, business, and social integration in the region. 2) It identifies problems in the region like differences between north/south and east/west as well as low innovation capabilities. However, it also lists advantages such as quality R&D infrastructure and low cost employees. 3) The document proposes using living labs to inform strategic decision making in the region and focus on themes from existing action plans. It suggests projects in areas like living labs, design, services innovation, and sustainable hydropower.

1. Living Labs development
initiatives in South East
Europe
Darko Ferčej
E-zavod
Slovenia

2. Development initiatives in South-East
Europe
28th March
3rd Call for projects
Opened until
20th May 2011

3. Operational programme SEE 2007-2013
General goal: improvement of territorial, business and
social integration, cohesion, stability and competitiveness
with transnational programmes, strategies and projects.
Priority axes:
Priority axe 1: Innovativeness and enterpreneurship
Priority axe 2: Environment protection
Priority axe 3: Improvement of accessibility
Priority axe 4: Transnational synnergies for sustainable
development

4. Problems in SEE
Innovativeness and enterpreneurship
Problems:
- Big differences between north and south / east and west
- Low innovation capabilities
- No appropriate business solutions / no common strategy
Advantages:
- Good R&D infrastructure
- Quality and low priced employees
- Investment possibilities
- Expriences in the social systems
- Existance of action plans

5. Project initiatives
• Using living labs as baseline for strategic
decision making;
• Thematics should be taken from already
made action plans (EU strategy for
Danubian region…)
• Living labs, Design centres, services
innovation, internationalization and
interdisciplinatory cooperation.
• Sustainable hydropower, Climate change

6. Living labs - one step beyond?
• Planning of Regional or (EU) development
strategies
• Using ICT for communication and decision
making on Best technological solutions?
Establishment of permanent decision
making bodies?
• LL as Baseline for development and for
EU studies ?
• LL as tool for worldwide cooperation?

7. Contact data:
Darko Ferčej, E-zavod
www.ezavod.si
darko@ezavod.si
Tel. + 386 2 749 32 25